The Important Facts You Need To Know About Vitamin B12 Deficiency

When we talk about deficiencies, we usually talk about mineral
deficiencies, they are the most common, but vitamin deficiencies can be
just as serious and most people fail to notice the warning signs. Here
are some of the most obvious symptoms of a severe vitamin B12
deficiency:

Feeling light-headed, tired and fatigued for no apparent reason

Experiencing shortness of breath, accelerated heartbeat

Having trouble concentrating, memory problems

Tingling and numbness in limbs

Coordination and balance problems

Unusually pale complexion

Sore tongue

Sensitive gums, bleeding and bruising in the gum area

Excessive weight loss

Hallucinations, depression, mania and irritability

These symptoms are a sure sign of a severe vitamin B12 deficiency and
if you notice some of them you need to consult a doctor and have
yourself checked.The importance of vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is a very important vitamin for your overall health, but
it has an essential role in your blood cells and nerves. It takes part
in the creation of genetic material in our cells and optimal levels of
this vitamin protect our organism from megaloblastic anemia. The
symptoms of this condition are an overall feeling of weakness and
tiredness.
The absorption of this vitamin in our organism happens in two phases.
First the hydrochloric acid isolates the vitamin form the proteins
we’ve ingested and then it binds to the intrinsic factor, a protein that
is naturally produced in the stomach. Afterwards, our organism absorbs
the vitamin B12. Patients suffering from pernicious anemia usually lack
the intrinsic factor, which is key in the absorption of this vitamin and
therefore their body can’t absorb vitamin B12.How does vitamin B12 deficiency happen?
People over the age of 60 have the highest risk of developing a
vitamin B12 deficiency. The low limit for vitamin B12 is pretty high,
which is why the majority of people don’t even know that their body
lacks this important nutrient.

Increase your B12 intake
Vitamin B12 can be absorbed thorough food although as we mentioned
some people can’t absorb it properly. If you suspect your body lacks
this vitamin you should get tested and determine if you’re right.The following groups of people are most at risk of a vitamin B12 deficiency:

People over 50 tend to have vitamin B12 deficiency pretty often
because they fail to absorb vitamin B12 from the food they eat. Why?
Because they have low amounts of hydrochloric acids in their stomach.
And we mentioned earlier that this acid is essential for the proper
absorption of this vitamin

People suffering from pernicious anemia cannot absorb sufficient
amounts of vitamin B12, because they don’t have the intrinsic factor in
their system. The solution to their problem is to take vitamin B12
supplements either orally or in the form of injections.

Individuals who deal with digestive problems, like Crohn’s disease
or Celiac disease, or patients who have experienced gastrointestinal
surgery (weight loss surgeries) are unable to absorb vitamin B12
properly.

Vitamin B12 deficiency is pretty common among vegans and
vegetarians, because the only sources of this vitamin are products from
animal origin. It’s also quite common for babies of vegan or vegetarian
moms to be deficient in vitamin B12.

The greatest food sources of vitamin B12
The biggest sources of this vitamin are animal products. There are
some plant food products which can be fortified with vitamin B12 but you
need to check the labels to see which ones have been fortified with
this exact vitamin. These are the best sources of vitamin B12:

Clams and beef liver

Eggs, poultry, meat, fish, milk, and dairy products

Nutritional yeast, certain cereals, and some fortified foods

How can you know if you suffer from vitamin B12 deficiency?

Anemia accompanied with high mean corpuscular volume

Problems with balance and walking, numbness, tingling, and similar neurological symptoms

The feeling of disorientation, confusion, and altered mental status

Alzheimer’s disease and dementia

Schizophrenia, mania, and bipolar disorder

Pancreatic insufficiency and similar GI disorders

Gastric bypass

People over 60

Restricted diet regimens (vegan and vegetarian diet)

Autoimmune disorders

Children with autism and delayed development

Babies of mothers who lack vitamin B12

Eating disorders

Family history of anemia

Metformin and PPI drugs

Cardiovascular disorders, such as blood clotting, stroke and heart attack

Don’t leave your deficiency untreated!
Vitamin B12 deficiency can easily be treated; you just need to know
if you suffer from it first. This vitamin is water soluble and
non-toxic, meaning you can take it orally or in the form of injections
and resolve your problem fast and simple. Consult with your doctor to
determine which course of treatment works best for you.
If you want to treat your deficiency naturally eat foods rich in
vitamin B12 like dairy products, meat, eggs, poultry, seafood and fish.
If you are a vegan or vegetarian find B12 fortified food and take
multivitamins to get your needed daily dose of this vitamin.